Luke Walton
Luke Walton was a sportscaster who covered a plethora of sports of the high school, college and professional level. Walton worked at many radio stations including WGFB, WBOW and WISH, and he even formed his own advertising agency. Walton was well-known for his rapid-fire delivery of his Indianapolis 500 coverage.
Walton was born on April 4, 1907. He graduated from Butler University and secured his first radio position in 1931 in Terre Haute, Indiana, working at radio station WBOW.
By 1941 he was in Indianapolis as sportscaster/salesman for WISH, where he did play-by-play baseball coverage of the Indianapolis Indians from 1948-55 and again in 1963. For “away” games in the early days, Walton was unable to physically be at the games. Instead, he created his vivid descriptions from a station studio using cryptic teletype messages from distant stadiums.
In the 1940’s and 50’s, Walton was known as the “dean of Hoosier sportscasters.” He played a key role in the formation of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network, which broadcasts the Indianapolis 500. Walton worked as a pit reporter alongside Chuck Marlowe and Lou Palmer, each assigned to a different segment of the pits.
In 1956, Walton ended his career at WISH to pursue his own advertising agency: Luke Walton Advertising Agency, which Walton operated until 1983.
In 1963, Walton obtained an AM license and proceeded to put WIGO on air in Indianapolis. He served as owner and general manager. The studios were in the basement of a Delaware Street office building. George L. Davis was one of the disc jockeys.
George L. Davis as one of the disc jockeys. Studios were in the basement level of office building at 143 Delaware St.
In 1966, Walton sold WIGO to Sarkes Tarzian, who changed the call letters to WATI. Recently, the station has been known as WSYW and has a Spanish-language adult contemporary format.
Despite leaving WISH and forming Luke Walton Advertising Agency, Walton stayed active in the annual Indianapolis 500 radio coverage.
Walton passed away June 18, 1990, leaving behind a legacy of rapid-fire delivery and 20 years of Indianapolis 500 radio coverage.
March 2025
By Lily Saylor